Quartet (2012)

At a home for retired musicians, the annual concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean, an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents.

Director:

Dustin Hoffman

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (play), Ronald Harwood (screenplay)

Stars:

Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Maggie Smith	...	Jean Horton
Tom Courtenay	...	Reginald Paget
Billy Connolly	...	Wilf Bond
Pauline Collins	...	Cissy Robson
Michael Gambon	...	Cedric Livingston
Sheridan Smith	...	Dr. Lucy Cogan
Andrew Sachs	...	Bobby Swanson
Gwyneth Jones	...	Anne Langley (as Dame Gwyneth Jones)
Trevor Peacock	...	George
David Ryall	...	Harry
Michael Byrne	...	Frank White
Ronnie Fox	...	Nobby
Patricia Loveland	...	Letitia Davis
Eline Powell	...	Angelique
Luke Newberry	...	Simon

Storyline

Cecily, Reggie, and Wilfred are in a home for retired musicians. Every year, on October 10, there is a concert to celebrate Verdi's birthday and they take part. Jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium. She still acts like a diva, but she refuses to sing. Still, the show must go on... and it does.

---

Plot Keywords:

retired | musician | concert | opera singer | reference to luciano pavarotti | 

---

Taglines:

Four friends looking for a little harmony

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and suggestive humor

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook [Germany] Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK

Language:

English Polish

Release Date:

1 March 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cuatro notas de amor

Filming Locations:

St Nicholas' Church, Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$47,122 (USA) (11 January 2013)

Gross:

$18,336,156 (USA) (14 June 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Headline Pictures, BBC Films, DCM Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dustin Hoffman's first completed directorial effort. In 1978, he began directing Straight Time, but after a few days, he decided it was too difficult to both star and direct, and asked Ulu Grosbard to take over.

---

Quotes

Jean: This is not a retirement home, it is a madhouse!

---

Crazy Credits

As the final credits roll, photos of each of the supporting cast members of retired musicians is shown beside a picture of them during their performing careers.

---

Connections

Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #21.72 (2013)

---

Soundtracks

"Fantasia for Clarinet"
On the Opera "La Traviata" (Op. 45)
Composed by Donato Lovreglio
Performed by Colin Bradbury

User Reviews

Pleasantly surprised.

As a 16 year old, it's safe to say that this obviously is not a film which is aimed at me at all, being based in a retirement home for old musicians where cracking jokes about opera is, you know, hilarious. In fact, the screening I was in was filled with those with white hair. It's not often that I feel out of place at a cinema, but I on this occasion I did.

Quartet, as you probably know, features a stellar cast of older actors; Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay playing the reunited divorcées with a history; Billy Connolly as a pottering and senile old tenor, cracking double-entendres at every opportunity; and Pauline Collins, who in my opinion steals the show, as the ditzy ex-opera singer. What follows is an unashamedly predictable, but nevertheless solidly crafted and amusing drama that wouldn't look out of place on a Sunday afternoon TV slot. Minus the f-words, of course. Yes ,you can see its development from a mile off, and it rarely addresses the more serious and harrowing aspects of old-age as Haneke's 'Amour' did, but it's good natured, well scripted and amusing fun.

It's all through the typical rose-tinted, Downton-esque portrayal of Britain that we're all accustomed to, but with a cast like that and a gentle, sweet story, it's hard not to be eventually won over by its charm. I had a good time.